An Aberdeen engineer was recognised for his contribution to industry at the Engineering Construction Industry (ECI) Training and Development Awards in London.
Michael Horgan, a project engineer at Kintore-based STATS Group, was named Graduate of the Year at a prestigious awards ceremony at Glaziers Hall to honour the very best of engineering construction talent.
Aberdeen-based companies AFS Technologies, Hydratight and Bilfinger UK were also among the winners at the event celebrating excellence in training and development in the ECI, which was organised by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB).
The ECI spans sectors that focus on the construction, maintenance and decommissioning of heavy industry, including oil & gas, nuclear, power generation, renewables, carbon capture & storage, hydrogen, chemicals, food & drink, pharmaceuticals, and water treatment.
Michael graduated with a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University in 2023. He then completed the Monitored Professional Development Scheme after joining STATS Group, which is a market leader in the supply of pressurised pipeline isolation, hot tapping and plugging services to the global energy industry.
He was praised for “making a real impact” working on high-profile industry projects. In particular, Michael played a key role in the first UK subsea pipeline isolation project; aided the delivery of the first hydrogen pipeline isolation scope; managed an £800,000 asset build; and stepped in as Interim Project Manager in STATS’ Houston office in the US.
With Michael still in the US, STATS Group Training & Competence Manager Andy Buckworth was on hand to pick up the trophy on his behalf. Andy said:
“Michael is exceptional at his job, but it’s also his personality too. He’s got an aura about him when you listen to him and yet he is quiet and there’s nothing overpowering about him.
“He has been on some key projects that showed his competence, including some trials on hydrogen, which were very unique at the time.
“It’s been absolutely incredible to see him do so well in the USA. He’s only ever been in our office in Kintore and then he went to the States to cover for someone. He picked up their role and they’ve offered him a job. He’s in a very senior role straight away there.”
Aberdeen firms honoured at ceremony
AFS Technologies, an Aberdeen-based provider of asset management solutions and training services to industry, received the Training Organisation of the Year award in recognition of its positive impact on learners, employers, asset owners and the wider ECI through its training delivery.
AFS Technologies is a leading independent expert in small bore tubing (SBT), mechanical joint integrity (MJI) and instrumentation & control services across numerous energy sectors.
Judges recognised the company for how it “champions collaboration, access and competence in the oil and gas, renewables and nuclear sectors”.
Managing Director Alasdair MacNeil said:
“I’m absolutely delighted for our team to win the award. They’ve done a great job.
“We’ve given good quality training to a range of different industries involved in engineering construction sectors.
“We see a role for ourselves in ensuring competency is transferred from the oil and gas sector and the present energy industries into the new energy transition sectors like hydrogen and moving on to nuclear as well as other sectors.”
Bilfinger UK, which has operations spanning the UK, including Aberdeen, received the Large Employer of the Year award in recognition of its commitment to investing in its people to “keep up with the fast-paced changes of our industry”.
As one of the UK’s largest providers of engineering and maintenance services across numerous ECI sectors, Bilfinger employs more than 4,000 skilled professionals across platforms and sites nationwide.
The company was praised by judges for its efforts to build a sustainable pipeline of talent to meet the evolving demands of the energy sector.
Stephanie Broadley, Training and Competency Manager at Bilfinger UK, said:
“I am thrilled that we have won. It’s wonderful to be recognised by industry like this, but for us it doesn’t matter if we win awards or not as we operate at this level all the time.
“Our aim is to ensure that our people are competent, know what they’re doing and are happy in our workforce.”
Hydratight, which has a UK base in Aberdeen, received the International Training Organisation of the Year award for the second year running.
The company, which delivers specialist mechanical services and training across oil and gas, power generation and industrial sectors on five continents, was recognised for its contribution to industry on the global stage.
Hydratight, which won the accolade in 2024 for its work in the Middle East, was this year honoured for its work in Singapore.
Jason Barnard, Global Technical Competency Leader at Hydratight said:
“To win two years in a row is a massive achievement for all of our training team that deliver this.
“We won this year for Asia Pacific and we do a lot in the region, but this is just as much about recognising the work we do in other areas around the world like the Middle East.”
See the full list of winners from the ECI Training & Development Awards 2025 at www.ecitb.org.uk/eci-training-development-awards-2025/